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    British Airways
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    BA/BAW
    Airline Type:
    Full Service Carrier
    Hub(s):
    London Heathrow Airport, London Gatwick Airport
    Year Founded:
    1974
    Alliance:
    oneworld
    Airline Group:
    IAG
    CEO:
    Sean Doyle
    Country:
    United Kingdom

British Airways has operated various aircraft types over the years, including iconic designs such as Concorde and the Boeing 747. However, did you know that it has also flown helicopters in years gone by? In fact, the practice predated the airline itself, having been set up by one of its predecessors. Let's take a closer look.

A product of British European Airways

The airline that would eventually become known as British Airways Helicopters dates back to the late 1940s when British European Airways (BEA) began flying helicopters on a trial basis. Initially known as the Helicopter Experiment Unit, BEA's services under this banner flew both mail and passengers on UK domestic routes.

To begin with, these flights were operated by the Westland WS-51 'Dragonfly,' a license-built version of the Sikorsky S-51. However, moving into the 1950s, the Bristol Type 171 'Sycamore' also began to feature on services in the Midlands and southern England. Such was the success of what was initially an experimental venture that BEA established a new company, known as BEA Helicopters, in 1964.

This was a catalyst for strong network expansion, with the carrier launching a route from Penzance to the Isles of Scilly in May that year, using the Sikorsky S-61. Later in the decade, and moving into the early 1970s, BEA Helicopters also began operating flights to oil rigs from Scottish airports such as Aberdeen and Sumburgh.

BEA_Sikorsky_S-51_in_1953
BEA's helicopter services were initially confined to the UK mainland. Photo: RuthAS via Wikimedia Commons

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Part of British Airways

In March 1974, BEA merged with the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) to form the airline that we now know as British Airways. The new UK flag carrier thus inherited BEA Helicopters, and subsequently renamed it British Airways Helicopters. The airline's new helicopter division quickly made a mark.

Indeed, in 1978, it was involved in the establishment of the Airlink shuttle between London's Heathrow (LHR) and Gatwick (LGW) airports. The project was a joint venture with British Caledonian Airways, and offered 15-minute transfers between the sites. After eight years of operations, the flights ceased in February 1986.

Unfortunately, the early to mid-1980s saw a series of accidents involving British Airways Helicopters. While all onboard escaped from a Sikorsky S-61 that crashed in the North Sea in March 1983, the Aviation Safety network notes that, four months later, 20 of 26 occupants perished when another S-61 crashed near the Isles of Scilly. May 1984 also saw another fatality-free North Sea crash.

British Airways Ditched Helicopter
G-ASNL eventually sank after its North Sea crash in March 1983. Photo: Morrispeter via Wikimedia Commons

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The end of the line

Despite investing in six mighty tandem-rotor Boeing Chinook helicopters in the early 1980s, British Airways Helicopters' story came to an end in the middle of the decade. Specifically, in 1986, publishing magnate Robert Maxwell bought the company and then subsequently renamed it British International Helicopters.

Among other ventures, this operator continued to provide a direct helicopter link between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly, just as its predecessors at BEA and British Airways had done. However, these eventually came to an end in October 2012. Today, a company known as Sloane Helicopters serves this domestic corridor.

Did you know about British Airways Helicopters? Perhaps you even flew with the carrier back in the day? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

Photo: Aviation Safety Network